MotoGP Mugello: Starting Grids

By
Ron Lieback
-

MotoGP

Dani Pedrosa will start the 2010 Gran Premio d’Italia TIM from pole position, his second of the season, after a superb late lap deposed current championship leader, Jorge Lorenzo, from the top of the timesheet.

"It’s great to take pole here," declared Pedrosa. "We’ve been working very hard through free practice and in qualifying this afternoon to improve things from yesterday. We’ve achieved this, so I’m satisfied. Lorenzo will be the man to beat tomorrow, but we are confident that we are in better shape than for the last race in Le Mans. I think it will be a fun race tomorrow."

Lorenzo had taken provisional pole position with ten minutes of the session remaining, becoming the first rider of the weekend to get under the 1’49" barrier by four-thousandths of a second, but Pedrosa’s effort means Lorenzo will go for his third straight win of the campaign from second position on the grid tomorrow.

"I am very happy about how my bike is feeling at Mugello," said Lorenzo. "I have a good race pace, the Bridgestone tyres feel good and I think I can make a fight tomorrow."

Joining the Spanish duo on the front row will be Casey Stoner, who overcame problems with his Ducati Desmosedici that have plagued him all weekend to jump up from ninth to third in the final moments of this afternoon’s qualifying session, knocking his team-mate, Nicky Hayden, back to the second row of the grid.

"I’d love to say we’re ready for the race tomorrow, but the reality is we’re far from it," explained Stoner. "It was a bit if a banzai lap in qualifying to be honest; we still need to find around six tenths if we are to be competitive with Jorge and Dani tomorrow. But, if we can find something in warm-up, then we could be in a good position."

Hayden will start alongside Colin Edwards and Randy de Puniet, who both enjoyed a positive qualifying session at a sun-drenched Mugello this afternoon.

Ben Spies will start his first MotoGP race at Mugello from seventh place, after an impressive weekend learning yet another new circuit, and Andrea Dovizioso will also be on the third row for his home race. Aleix Espargaró continued to improve on his satellite Pramac Ducati to claim ninth place, his best qualifying position to date, while another rookie, Hiroshi Aoyama, rounded out the top ten.

A notable absence from the session was Valentino Rossi. The reigning World Champion was taken to hospital earlier in the day after a crash in the morning practice, and will have an operation this evening on a fractured right tibia.

"I didn’t see Rossi’s crash, but what I’ve heard about the injury doesn’t sound good," said Pedrosa. "I just hope the operation goes well for him, because the first operation is always the most important."

MotoGP Start Positions

Pos.Num.RiderNationTeamBikeKm/hTimeGap 1st/Prev.
126Dani

PEDROSA		SPARepsol Honda TeamHonda329.31’48.819 
299Jorge

LORENZO		SPAFiat Yamaha TeamYamaha324.81’48.9960.177 / 0.177
327Casey

STONER		AUSDucati Marlboro TeamDucati339.31’49.4320.613 / 0.436
469Nicky

HAYDEN		USADucati Marlboro TeamDucati336.41’49.5460.727 / 0.114
55Colin

EDWARDS		USAMonster Yamaha Tech 3Yamaha323.91’49.6830.864 / 0.137
614Randy DE

PUNIET		FRALCR Honda MotoGPHonda323.91’49.7370.918 / 0.054
711Ben SPIESUSAMonster

Yamaha Tech 3		Yamaha320.41’49.8611.042 /

0.124
84Andrea

DOVIZIOSO		ITARepsol Honda TeamHonda327.31’50.0651.246 / 0.204
941Aleix

ESPARGARO		SPAPramac Racing TeamDucati335.21’50.1681.349 / 0.103
107Hiroshi

AOYAMA		JPNInterwetten Honda MotoGPHonda330.41’50.2241.405 / 0.056
1158Marco

SIMONCELLI		ITASan Carlo Honda GresiniHonda327.11’50.4341.615 / 0.210
1265Loris

CAPIROSSI		ITARizla Suzuki MotoGPSuzuki322.81’50.4791.660 / 0.045
1340Hector

BARBERA		SPAPaginas Amarillas AsparDucati341.21’50.5611.742 / 0.082
1433Marco

MELANDRI		ITASan Carlo Honda GresiniHonda328.91’50.6641.845 / 0.103
1536Mika KALLIOFINPramac

Racing Team		Ducati338.51’50.9702.151 /

0.306
1619Alvaro

BAUTISTA		SPARizla Suzuki MotoGPSuzuki324.71’53.2434.424 / 2.273
 46Valentino

ROSSI		ITAFiat Yamaha TeamYamaha

Moto2

Andrea Iannone gave the home crowd something to cheer about at Mugello today, by taking pole position for the Moto2 race at the Italian circuit after a hectic qualifying session. Iannone’s lap of 1’55.598 secured him the fourth pole of his career – his first in the new intermediate category – by a margin of 0.260s.

Joining him on the front row will be current championship leader Toni Elías who put in a hot final lap of the session to rise to second, having been much further down the timesheet for most of practice and qualifying. Alex de Angelis and Jules Cluzel were separated by just five-hundredths of a second in third and fourth, as they completed the front row.

Shoya Tomizawa, who is lying second in the overall standings and 18 points off Elías going into tomorrow’s race, will lead the second row after setting the fifth best time, with Sergio Gadea, Gabor Talmacsi and Axel Pons also inside the top eight. Talmacsi had a fall towards the end of the session, which severely damaged his bike, but left the former 125cc World Champion uninjured

Thomas Lüthi and Julián Simón also set top-ten times, with the latter sliding out at the very end of the session but returning to his bike immediately.

Moto2 Start Positions

Mugello, Saturday, June 05, 2010

Pos.Num.RiderNationTeamBikeKm/hTimeGap 1st/Prev.
129Andrea

IANNONE		ITAFimmco Speed UpSpeed Up281.71’55.598 
224Toni ELIASSPAGresini

Racing Moto2		Moriwaki284.71’55.8580.260 /

0.260
315Alex DE

ANGELIS		RSMRSM Team ScotForce GP210273.61’56.2220.624 / 0.364
416Jules

CLUZEL		FRAForward RacingSuter270.31’56.2720.674 / 0.050
548Shoya

TOMIZAWA		JPNTechnomag-CIPSuter270.41’56.2840.686 / 0.012
640Sergio

GADEA		SPATenerife 40 PonsPons Kalex277.21’56.2960.698 / 0.012
72Gabor

TALMACSI		HUNFimmco Speed UpSpeed Up278.71’56.3050.707 / 0.009
880Axel PONSSPATenerife

40 Pons		Pons Kalex279.51’56.3310.733 /

0.026
912Thomas

LUTHI		SWIInterwetten Moriwaki Moto2Moriwaki279.61’56.3390.741 / 0.008
1060Julian

SIMON		SPAMapfre Aspar TeamSuter270.91’56.3430.745 / 0.004
1125Alex

BALDOLINI		ITACaretta Technology Race DeptI.C.P.273.61’56.3880.790 / 0.045
1255Hector

FAUBEL		SPAMarc VDS Racing TeamSuter275.41’56.4430.845 / 0.055
1319Xavier

SIMEON		BELHoliday Gym RacingMoriwaki275.81’56.4660.868 / 0.023
1435Raffaele

DE ROSA		ITATech 3 RacingTech 3278.41’56.5430.945 / 0.077
156Alex DEBONSPAAeroport

de Castello – Ajo		FTR269.61’56.6471.049 /

0.104
1644Roberto

ROLFO		ITAItaltrans S.T.R.Suter272.91’56.6491.051 / 0.002
1752Lukas PESEKCZEMatteoni

CP Racing		Moriwaki280.41’56.6521.054 /

0.003
1841Arne TODEGERRacing

Team Germany		Suter278.61’56.6651.067 /

0.013
1972Yuki

TAKAHASHI		JPNTech 3 RacingTech 3273.61’56.7161.118 / 0.051
2017Karel

ABRAHAM		CZECardion AB MotoracingFTR281.01’56.7181.120 / 0.002
2163Mike DI

MEGLIO		FRAMapfre Aspar TeamSuter274.21’56.7461.148 / 0.028
2271Claudio

CORTI		ITAForward RacingSuter275.41’56.7991.201 / 0.053
2365Stefan

BRADL		GERViessmann Kiefer RacingSuter275.71’56.8511.253 / 0.052
2414Ratthapark

WILAIROT		THAThai Honda PTT Singha SAGBimota270.91’56.8881.290 / 0.037
2575Mattia

PASINI		ITAJIR Moto2Motobi279.41’56.8971.299 / 0.009
263Simone

CORSI		ITAJIR Moto2Motobi275.21’56.8981.300 / 0.001
2768Yonny

HERNANDEZ		COLBlusens-STXBQR-Moto2273.31’56.9111.313 / 0.013
2845Scott

REDDING		GBRMarc VDS Racing TeamSuter284.91’57.0491.451 / 0.138
2977Dominique

AEGERTER		SWITechnomag-CIPSuter273.41’57.3801.782 / 0.331
3061Vladimir

IVANOV		UKRGresini Racing Moto2Moriwaki284.61’57.3921.794 / 0.012
3159Niccolo

CANEPA		ITARSM Team ScotForce GP210272.71’57.4001.802 / 0.008
3239Robertino

PIETRI		VENItaltrans S.T.R.Suter276.91’57.4551.857 / 0.055
339Kenny NOYESUSAJack

& Jones by A.Banderas		Promoharris272.71’57.4671.869 / 0.012
345Joan OLIVESPAJack

& Jones by A.Banderas		Promoharris274.31’57.5891.991 / 0.122
3510Fonsi NIETOSPAHoliday

Gym G22		Moriwaki272.11’57.6902.092 /

0.101
3676Bernat

MARTINEZ		SPAMaquinza-SAG TeamBimota265.71’57.7332.135 / 0.043
3753Valentin

DEBISE		FRAWTR San Marino TeamADV274.71’57.9402.342 / 0.207
3821Vladimir

LEONOV		RUSVector Kiefer RacingSuter269.71’58.2472.649 / 0.307
398Anthony

WEST		AUSMZ Racing TeamMZ-RE Honda265.51’58.4302.832 / 0.183
4088Yannick

GUERRA		SPAHoliday Gym G22Moriwaki267.31’58.4672.869 / 0.037
4196Anthony

DELHALLE		FRABlusens-STXBQR-Moto2271.91’58.7013.103 / 0.234

125cc GP

Sandro Cortese will start tomorrow’s 125cc race from pole position, after stealing the number one slot on the grid from Pol Espargaró right at the end of this afternoon’s qualifying session. Espargaró was unable to respond, having crashed without injury with just ten minutes of the session left to run.

Bancaja Aspar team-mates Bradley Smith and current World Championship leader Nico Terol complete the front row, as both came within three-tenths of the top time.

Randy Krummenacher, Marc Márquez, Esteve Rabat and Efrén Vázquez will all be present on the second row after good qualification performances, although Vázquez experienced a fall at the very end of the session.

Johann Zarco and Tomoyoshi Koyama were inside the top ten, with British rider Danny Webb 13th. There were crashes for Adrián Martín and Luigi Morciano.

125cc GP Start Positions

Mugello, Saturday, June 05, 2010

Pos.Num.RiderNationTeamBikeKm/hTimeGap 1st/Prev.
111Sandro

CORTESE		GERAvant Mitsubishi AjoDerbi233.01’58.315 
244Pol

ESPARGARO		SPATuenti RacingDerbi234.21’58.3360.021 / 0.021
338Bradley

SMITH		GBRBancaja Aspar TeamAprilia234.01’58.5720.257 / 0.236
440Nicolas

TEROL		SPABancaja Aspar TeamAprilia237.61’58.5860.271 / 0.014
535Randy

KRUMMENACHER		SWIStipa-Molenaar Racing GPAprilia232.31’58.6820.367 / 0.096
693Marc

MARQUEZ		SPARed Bull Ajo MotorsportDerbi234.91’58.7050.390 / 0.023
712Esteve

RABAT		SPABlusens-STXAprilia238.01’59.1770.862 / 0.472
87Efren

VAZQUEZ		SPATuenti RacingDerbi232.21’59.3411.026 / 0.164
914Johann

ZARCO		FRAWTR San Marino TeamAprilia236.11’59.6171.302 / 0.276
1071Tomoyoshi

KOYAMA		JPNRacing Team GermanyAprilia241.11’59.6921.377 / 0.075
1153Jasper

IWEMA		NEDCBC CorseAprilia233.81’59.8091.494 / 0.117
1239Luis SALOMSPAStipa-Molenaar

Racing GP		Aprilia238.02’00.0521.737 /

0.243
1399Danny WEBBGBRAndalucia

Cajasol		Aprilia240.22’00.1311.816 /

0.079
1423Alberto

MONCAYO		SPAAndalucia CajasolAprilia236.42’00.5592.244 / 0.428
1595Alessandro

TONUCCI		ITAJunior GP Racing Team FMIAprilia219.82’00.7742.459 / 0.215
1692Luigi

MORCIANO		ITAJunior GP Racing Team FMIAprilia234.32’00.8902.575 / 0.116
175Alexis

MASBOU		FRAOngetta TeamAprilia227.42’01.3002.985 / 0.410
1878Marcel

SCHROTTER		GERInterwetten Honda 125Honda236.72’01.3122.997 / 0.012
1950Sturla

FAGERHAUG		NORAirAsia – Sepang Int. CircuitAprilia229.82’01.3513.036 / 0.039
2015Simone

GROTZKYJ		ITAFontana RacingAprilia229.62’01.5893.274 / 0.238
2184Jakub

KORNFEIL		CZERacing Team GermanyAprilia228.32’01.6833.368 / 0.094
2251Riccardo

MORETTI		ITAJunior GP FMIAprilia224.02’01.7973.482 / 0.114
2394Jonas

FOLGER		GEROngetta TeamAprilia223.82’01.8683.553 / 0.071
2496Tommaso

GABRIELLI		ITARacing Team GabrielliAprilia226.92’01.8983.583 / 0.030
2532Lorenzo

SAVADORI		ITAMatteoni CP RacingAprilia219.92’02.2433.928 / 0.345
2698Mattia

TAROZZI		ITAFaenza RacingAprilia233.02’02.4174.102 / 0.174
2763Zulfahmi

KHAIRUDDIN		MALAirAsia – Sepang Int. CircuitAprilia225.92’02.5864.271 / 0.169
2897Armando

PONTONE		ITAJunior GP Racing Team FMIAprilia215.72’02.7634.448 / 0.177
2960Michael

VAN DER MARK		NEDLambretta Reparto CorseLambretta220.92’03.1144.799 / 0.351
3087Luca

MARCONI		ITAOngetta TeamAprilia234.32’03.2454.930 / 0.131
3169Louis ROSSIFRACBC

Corse		Aprilia224.92’03.8645.549 /

0.619
3272Marco

RAVAIOLI		ITALambretta Reparto CorseLambretta211.32’06.1267.811 / 2.262
 26Adrian

MARTIN		SPAAeroport de Castello – AjoAprilia193.32’21.69523.380 / 15.56

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Ron Lieback
One of the few moto journalists based on the East Coast, Ron Lieback joined the motorcycle industry as a freelancer in 2007 and is currently Editor at Large at Ultimate Motorcycling. He is also the author of 365 to Vision: Modern Writer's Guide (How to Produce More Quality Writing in Less Time).

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